


It's been a while

by Loulouche



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Gen, apparently i thought it would be fun to write this, but maybe it won't be fun to read it, i can't wait to see what happens, i'm sure matt has a lot of tricks up his sleeve, my attempt at guessing what could happen at the beginning of c2e113, or rather what i would like to see happen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:02:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,506
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27154228
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Loulouche/pseuds/Loulouche
Summary: Right after C2E112 ended, the Mighty Nein goes into battle (for real this time) against Avantika and her minions/companions. But things get out of hand when Caleb decides to leave the ship and Vess wants to stay.or911? There's a shit ton of fireworks in the middle of an icebreaker and a pyromaniac is onboard.
Kudos: 14





	It's been a while

**Author's Note:**

> This fight start was too good not to be written about. I don't know what will happen tonight and I won't know for another day (bonjour, fellow Frenchies), but I sure as hell know what kind of stuff I'd like to see. Hope the cast won't disappoint, but let's be honest, they never do!  
> (Excuse my English, I'm not a native speaker and it's past midnight where I am)

“Interesting.” Avantika pulls out two blades. “It’s been a while.”

As soon as her weapons are out, chaos is unleashed on the deck.

Fjord immediately goes for a strike, but Avantika stops his sword with her rapier. She leans down until their faces are just inches apart. “Missed me?”

Fjord winces, “I wouldn’t say that,” and pushes her away.

* * *

Beauregard, who is still grappled by one of the creatures, proceeds to methodically punch the shit out of it. “Let. Go. Of. Me. You. Fucking. Lobster.” It quickly backfires as the charm is now lifted. The crustacean grabs onto her harder and she groans. It is about to strike at her with its other pincer, but a massive sword chops it off. The creature squeals and the pincer holding Beauregard is cut off too. Yasha grasps the monk and frees her before kicking the crustacean overboard, back to the ocean.

“Are you okay?”

Beauregard is panting. “Yeah. Thank you.”

They barely have time to check in on each other before the two remaining lobsters come for them.

* * *

Caleb looks as dozens of fireworks crash onto the deck, and in the middle of them, the Cloven Crystal. The ship slightly shifts and the orb rolls away from him. He shoots a look at the humanoid creature who just shattered his amber vault and they both go after it.

The deep scion gets to it slightly before Caleb does, but a bolt hits the crystal right before they catch it and it rolls away, out of their reach. The creature looks up and sees a small halfing dash past them, running after the orb.

Veth expertly slides across the deck and grabs the Cloven Crystal. As she comes to a stop, Jester is right there. Or maybe her duplicate. She's not sure at this point.

“We gotta get this to safety.”

Jester, this is Jester.

Veth reaches out and grabs her friend's hand to get onto her feet. She is about to speak, but she doesn’t get the opportunity.

“What is the meaning of this?”

The Zemnian accent is thick, but this is not Caleb. They turn to Vess DeRogna, who just got out from below deck.

* * *

On the other end of the ship, the fight has gotten more intense. Fjord and Avantika are still exchanging blows. It almost looks like they are dancing as they are superseding each other in turn.

Suddenly, Avantika strikes with more strength. Fjord is taken by surprise and almost drops his sword. She takes advantage of this brief moment of vulnerability and goes for his chest. As the rapier is about to pierce his torso, Caduceus stands in front of Fjord and deflects the blow with his Shield of Retribution. The enchantment activates and pushes Avantika back. She hits the rail with an angry grunt.

Caduceus keeps his shield up as he is holding his staff to his side. “Fjord is under the protection of the Wildmother. Leave this ship now, or you will regret it.”

Avantika’s eyes are wide open as she holds a maddened expression on her face. “He belongs to Uk'otoa.”

Fjord gets a better grip on his sword and his other hand lights up. “Not anymore.” He shoots two Eldritch Blasts at Avantika. She takes them and barely moves. Fjord grits his tusks. “Shit.”

“Why are you resisting? Look what Uk'otoa has to offer. If you serve him well, death is no longer to be feared.”

“I’d rather die than be the puppet of this damn sea snake.”

“Well. That can be arranged.”

And she comes for another strike.

* * *

Working together, Beauregard and Yasha are quick to get rid of the two crustaceans. They share a smile of satisfaction and then turn in unison to check on their friends.

This is chaos.

They see Veth is holding the Cloven Crystal and Jester is with her, but the deep scion is coming for them at a fast pace. Vess DeRogna abruptly appears at the top of the stairs. She seems taken aback, as she probably doesn’t quite understand what is going on, but she is quick to compose herself. She raises her hands and she is about to cast, but a green ray goes right to the deep scion whose legs get instantly obliterated. Caleb is still holding his arm stretched in front of him while they screech. Vess looks impressed and greets him with a respectful nod that he ignores.

“We have to leave. Now.”

Jester freaks out. “What about the others?”

Yasha and Beauregard join them. “We’re here!”

Caleb nods. “I will prepare the circle, go get Fjord and Caduceus, and try to gather as many members of the crew as you can.”

Veth arms her crossbow. “We could easily defeat them.”

Caleb crouches down and starts drawing directly on the deck the symbols to go to Rexxentrum. “Not if they keep coming.”

As he speaks, five crustacean-like creatures and three deep scions get onto the ship.

“We can’t let them have the orb. Who knows what would happen if Uk'otoa is released.” Caleb keeps drawing nervously. “We have to protect the crystal. At all cost.”

Jester looks at Veth with a serious expression on her face. “Stay here with the orb, we will get the others.”

She runs toward Fjord and Caduceus, and Beauregard and Yasha follow suit. As soon as they leave, Vess steps right in the middle of the circle Caleb is drawing. “We are not leaving this ship.”

“With all due respect, Lady DeRogna, you have no idea what this crystal is.”

“I don’t. But I gather it is an important artifact and it needs to be protected from whoever these people are. So give it to me, I will protect it, and once they are off the ship, we can continue on our journey.”

“You don’t know what they’re capable of. Last time we faced them, they almost killed one of us, and that undead woman wasn’t here.”

“Neither was I. Do you think I can go toe to toe with her?”

“I honestly don’t know. Clearly, she’s not as she used to be.”

“I wasn’t expecting an answer.” Her tone is harsh and she seems offended. “Give me the orb.”

Caleb stands up between the mage and his friend. “Don’t give it to her, Veth.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t.” Her crossbow clicks and she points it at the mage.

Vess sighs. “You don’t have to give it to me if you don’t want to, but we are not leaving this ship.”

“Yes, we are. It’s too dangerous.”

“We have an agreement. You are to escort me to-”

“This agreement ends the minute one of us is in danger.”

“From what I see, your friends have nothing to fear.”

She gestures toward the deck and Caleb watches as Fjord and Caduceus are facing Avantika, while Yasha, Jester and Beauregard are fighting the crustaceans and scions. None of them seems to be under immediate threat. But he knows it could change any moment.

“You don’t understand.”

“I do. We are staying on the ship.”

“What about the crew? Maybe we can get out of it if we’re lucky, but I don’t know about them.”

“They were liabilities anyway.”

Caleb grits his teeth. “How can you say that?”

“They knew what they were getting themselves into when they accepted to transport us.”

“I assume they didn’t have a choice.”

Vess nonchalantly shrugs.

Caleb’s blood is boiling, but he keeps a stern face. “Fine.” He starts stepping back and Veth follows him when he reaches her side. He keeps his hand to his side but quietly moves it. “If you want to stay on this boat, suit yourself.”

Vess raises her eyebrows as she watches him suspiciously. It’s too late when she notices his hand motions and realizes what he is doing.

“But don’t expect us to be as foolish.” With that, Caleb releases his spell.

He points his hand directly at the fireworks and a fire bolt shoots out. In a split second, the deck of the ship turns into a mess of blasts and explosions. Everybody on the boat stops and looks at the improvised show as Beauregard shouts. “Yeeeah! Go Caleb!”

Veth is ecstatic. “Caleb, that was amazing!”

“We don’t have a lot of time.” As he grabs her hand and runs toward the center of the deck, he rummages through his pockets. “Mighty Nein! Crew! Get to the center!” He whispers to himself in Zemnian. _“I’m not letting the Empire kill innocent people again or leave them to die. Not this time.”_

The fireworks have caused a panic onboard, but when Veth and he get there, all their friends are here, as well as the captain, his first mate, and most of the crew.

Fjord looks back and sees Avantika rushing toward him. She looks furious. “Get us out of here, Caleb!”

The wizard gets the trinkets Veth and Jester gave him out of his pockets. “Right away, Captain!”

A few muttered words, a few hand motions, and they are all gone.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on tumblr: louloutche. Come find me and we can yell together over this masterpiece of a show!


End file.
